Best hotels in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Introduction

Proximity to California’s fabled Wine Country has put Santa Rosa firmly on the vacation map for lovers of good living. The county seat of Sonoma County offers a wide variety of attractions, from a historic railroad depot to a museum dedicated to the creator of the famous ‘Peanuts’ comic strip. Spring Lake Regional Park is haven of protected natural beauty, while a lively cultural program features performances by the Sonoma County Philharmonic and Summer Repertory Theater. The highlight of any visit is a tour of the vineyards that bring the world’s wine connoisseurs flocking to this idyllic corner of Northern California.

Hotels in Santa Rosa

Hotels in Santa Rosa range from upscale spa resorts to homey motels. This friendly city is used to welcoming visitors, so you’ll feel at home whatever type of accommodations you choose. Enjoy the Art Deco surroundings of the 3.5-star Flamingo Conference Resort & Spa, or soak up the authentic ambience of the no-frills Redwood Inn motel. Cheap Santa Rosa hotels include most of the popular budget chains, so you can save your dollars for having fun. Benefit from competitive Santa Rosa hotel rates by booking your stay well in advance—rooms fill up quickly during the peak vacation periods of summer and Christmas.

Where to stay

Highway 101, which connects San Francisco with the Wine Country, forms the natural axis for the majority of Santa Rosa hotels. This convenient location makes a great base for exploring the fertile Sonoma Valley. Stay out of town to benefit from hotel parking lots with direct access onto the highway. Base yourself in the heart of downtown to enjoy strolling through the historic districts, with restaurants and bars on your doorstep. Check into a cozy motel near the Charles M. Schulz Museum to snap a selfie with Snoopy, or head west towards Spring Lake Park to find upscale resorts nestled in tranquil natural settings.

Things to see

Explore Santa Rosa’s fascinating heritage on a stroll through its numerous historic districts. The highlight of Railroad Square is the Northwestern Pacific Railroad depot, one of only 2 buildings in the square to survive the catastrophic 1906 earthquake. The former Del Monte Cannery building and the round barn of the DeTurk Winery, both dating from the last decade of the 19th century, are landmarks of the West End industrial quarter. The flamboyant gold-topped clock tower that crowns the iconic Empire Building in Old Courthouse Square will be recognized by film buffs for its starring role in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Shadow of a Doubt.’ Another local legend takes the spotlight in the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, commemorating the much-loved creator of the ‘Peanuts’ carton strip and its reluctant antihero Snoopy. Along with original artwork and memorabilia, the museum contains the studio where Schulz worked from 1969 until his death in 2000.

How to get to Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa is around an hour’s pleasant drive north from San Francisco along Route 101. Sonoma County Airport, under 10 miles from downtown Santa Rosa, operates non-stop services to Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland, among other destinations. The airport offers a variety of connections into Santa Rosa, from public buses to private shuttles. Travel in Santa Rosa itself is operated by Sonoma County Transit, with a network of bus routes in and around the city. The compact downtown is easy to explore on foot, while trips to the Wine Country can be booked with local tour operators.